Pumping arrangement



@CL 9, i945. F. J. slGMUND ErYAL 2,336,275

PUMPING ARRANGEMENT Filed Dec. 29, 1941 INVENT ORS C 'SL ,WMM MW;

Patented Get. 9, 1945 mimmo. ABRANGEMENT Frank J. Sigmund and William S. Hlavln, Cleve'- land, Ohio, assignors, by mesme assignments, to Sigmund Corporation, a corporation of Ohio Application December 29, 1941i. Serial No. 424,702

(Cl. S-113) 3 Claims.

When a liquid pump becomes air bound, it

fails to deliver water or liquid through the discharge outlet thereof. A pump may become air bound by the draining of the pump resulting from the leakage of the strainer in the suction pipe. Air mayalso enter the pump through other avenues to destroy the proper functioning of the pump. When a pump is air bound the water or liquid, if any, is merely circulated within the pump impeller chamber.

An object of our-invention is the provision of an auxiliary pump which is capable of expelling air from the main pump when the main pump becomes air bound.

Another object of our invention is the provision of operating the auxiliary pump so long as the main pump does not deliver or pump liquid and to arrest tne operation of the auxiliary pump when the main pump begins to pump liquid through the discharge outlet thereof.

Another object of our invention is to accomplish the control for governing the operation of the auxiliary pump by means of a light-sensitive 'device responsive to the presence or absence of the liquid being pumped through the discharge outlet of the main pump.

Another object of our invention is to accom'- plisli the control of the auxiliary pump by means of a pressure responsive switch which is responsive to the liquid in the discharge outlet of the main pump.

Another object of our invention is the provision of driving the auxiliary pump by means of a magnetic clutch from the main shaft of the main pump wherein the magnetic clutchr is energized to drive the auxiliary pump when no liquid is being pumped out of the discharge outlet of the main pump and to .deenergize' the vmagnetic clutch when liquid begins toflow out through the discharge outlet of the main pump.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of our invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in con- `iurlction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a pumpthereof; and' ing unit embodying the features of our invention, part of the pumping unit being shown in section to illustrate more clearly the working parts Figure 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a modified form of our invention.

With reference to Figure l of the drawing, the combined pump assembly is illustrated generally by the reference character ID and comprises a main pump indicated by the reference character Il and an auxiliary pump indicated by the reference character i2. As illustrated, the main pump and the auxiliary pump are combined in one complete assembly. Between the main pump Il and the auxiliary pump I2 there is an inlet chamber. It into which liquid or water flows through the inlet pipe I3 which may lead downwardly to a well or sump or other body of liquid which is to be pumped. Branching oil from the inlet chamber M is an inlet I5 for the main pump il. The outlet for the 'main pump is designated by the reference character i6. In operation of the main pump, liquid flows from the inlet chamber It through the inlet I5 to the impeller I9 vwhich is drivenl by the shaft 2t after which the discharged liquid flows out through the outlet It.

The inlet for the auxiliary pump is indicated by a plurality of substantially radially extending vanes or blades which revolve within an involute chamber having relatively close iitting sides. The action of the pump impeller 20 is such that when it is rotated it has the property of expelling the air from the inlet chamber I4 and from the main pump il.

The impeller I9 of the main pump is mounted directly upon the shaft 24 of the pump assembly. The shaft 24 may be driven by a prime mover indicated by the reference character 25 and may comprise either an electric motor or Diesel engine or any other type of motive power suitable vfor the purpose. The shaft 24 extends from one one of the pump assembly to the other and as illustrated upon the left-hand side of the pump assembly there is provided a magnetic clutch 26 comprising an outside engaging disc 2l and an inside engaging disc 28. The outside engaging 24 so that it rotates. continuously with the rotation of the shaft 24. The inside engaging disc 28 is carried by a sleeve 3l which is also connected to the impeller 20 Vof the auxiliary pump. The sleeve 3| immediately to the right of the inside engaging disc 28 is supported by a hollow bearing member 33 and the right-hand end of the sleeve 3| or the impeller 20 is arranged to be supported around a bearing 32 carried by the shaft 24. Accordingly, the rotation of the inside engaging disc 28 operates to drive the impeller 28 for the auxiliary pump I2. Although the outside engaging disc 21 is non-rotatively connected to the shaft 24, yet it may slide longitudinally relative to the shaft 24 under the action-of magnetic flux set up by magnetic windings 34 provided in the inside engaging dise 28. A spring 38 is provided around the shaft 24 and is arranged to engage the end of a sleeve 29 for urging the outside engaging disc 21 of the 'magnetic clutch away from the inside engaging disc 28. Consequently, when the magnetic clutch 28 is de-energized the auxiliary pump I2 is idle. The magnetic winding 34 for the magnetic clutch is arranged to be energized through contact rings 35 and 38 respectively engaged by electrical brushes 31 and 88. The contact rings 35 and 3B are suitably insulated from the inside engaging disc 28 and the electrical brushes 31 and 38 are constrained to slide against the contact rings 35 and'35 by means of suitable springs positioned in the rear of the electrical brushes 31 and 38.

The liquid or water upon leaving the main pump Ii flows upwardly through the outlet I8 thereof and then upwardly through an outlet pipe 4I to the source of delivery. Mounted within the outlet pipe 4I is a pivot valve 42 having a lower ange portion 41 anchored between two anges 43 and 44 which connect the outlet pipe 4I to the outlet I6 for the main pump. The two flanges 43 and 44 may be held together by suitable screw bolts 45. A gasket 46 is provided between the two anges 43 and 44 to prevent leakage through the mating surfaces f the two flanges 43 and 44 and also to prevent leakage around the ange portion` 41 of the pivot valve 42. In this manner, liquid which is entrapped above the pivot valve 42 is prevented from leaking back into the main pump II.

The electrical control which governs the operation of the auxiliary pump I2 is contolled by a light source indicated generally by the refer-i ence character 49 and a photoelectric cell 50. The light rays which emanate from the light source 49 pass through windows 48 mounted upon opposite sides of the outlet pipe 4| before falling upon the photoelectric cell 50. The windows 48 may be of any suitable construction so long as liquid is prevented from leaking therefrom and so long as the light rays from the light source 49 may pass therethrough and fall upon the photoelectric cell 50. The feeble current which is developed within the photoelectric cell 50 is carried to an amplifying and relay equipment 53 which may be of any suitable design and structure. 'Ihe conductors 54 carry the feeble current developed by the photoelectric cell 50 to the amplifying and relay equipment 53, which is energized from an electric power current source I uponl the closing of a switch 52. The light source 49 may be energized by the power current source through conductors 55.

the electrical brushes 31 and 38 of ,the magnetic clutch.

The outlet I8 for the auxiliary pump is likewise cov'ered by the electrical control arrangement through a slide valve 59 actuated by an electro-magnet 58. A spring 50 within the slide valve is adapted to bias the .slide valve to the right and close the communication of the outlet for the auxiliary pump to atmosphere. Energization of the electro-magnet 58 through the conductors 51 forces the slide valve to the left as shown in thedrawing until the transverse opening therethrough registers with the outlet I8 for the auxiliary pump, under which condition the outlet I8 for the auxiliary pump is connected to atmosphere.

In operation, let it be assumed that the switch 52 is closed and that the amplifying and relay equipment 53, together with the other electrical control parts, is energized. Under this assumption, let it be further assumed that the main pump II is delivering no liquid or water out of the outlet I6. Under this condition, the light from the light source 49 will pass through the windows 48 and fall upon the photo-electric cell 50. The current developed by the photo-electric cell will cause the amplifying and relay equipment 53 to operate to magnetize the winding 34 of the magnetic flux. The engagement effected by the magnetic clutch will drive the auxiliary impeller 20 from the shaft 24. The operation of the auxiliary pump I2 expels air from the inlet chamber I4 and from the main pump Il. The expelling 0f air from the main pump enables the main pump now to pump liquid or water through the outlet I8 and raiselthe pivot valve 42. The flow of liquid or water past the pivot valve 42 causes the valve to swing about its hinge and intercept the light falling upon the photo-electric cell 5B. The interception of the light from the photo-electric cell 50 causes the relay and amplifying equipment 53 to cut off the current from the magnetic clutch 26, in which even-t the auxiliary pump I2 is disconnected from the shaft 24. The main pump II continues to operate to pump liquid while the auxiliary pump I2 remains idle. The operation will continue so long as liquid is being pumped by the main pump II.

Should the main pump II become air bound or fail to deliver water through the outlet I6,

the pivot valve 42 then swings downwardly and allows the light rays from the light source 49 to fall upon the' photo-electric cell 50, whereupon the magnetic clutch 26- is again energized for operating the auxiliary pump to expel air from the main pump II. The advantage of arresting the operation 'of the auxiliary pump I2 when the main pump II is pumping liquid is that it prevents the auxiliary pump from wearing out as it might do if it were run continuously. The continuous running of the auxiliary pump is disadvantageous particularly when the water or liquid contains fine sand or other grit# The magnetic clutch 26 is energized by the like particles. 'I'he impeller 20 for the auxiliary pump ts relatively close to the side walls of the pump involute chamber so that the action of the fine sand and other grit-like particles would tend to wear a relatively large clearance between the impeller blades and the side walls of the pump involute. This would tend to decrease the efliciency of the auxiliary pump if allowed to run continuously while the main pump is operating.

So long as the auxiliary pump I2 is in operation, it expels air through the outlet I8 past the slide valve 58 which is opened by the electroassuma magnet -58 when the magnetic clutch is magatmosphere so that no air may be-drawn in through the auxiliary pump tothe main Pump II.

In Figure 2 is shown a diagrammatic illustration of a modied form of our invention, in that we employ a pressure switch indicated generally by the-reference character Slto control the energization of the magnetic clutch and the electro-magnet 58. As illustrated, the pressure switch 6l comprises a flexible tube 65 and a mercury switch 66. The magnetic clutch`26 and the electro-magnet 58,are energized through conductors Y 81. In operation, when the fluid or liquid is being pumped by the main pump II, the pressure within the outlet pipe Il causes the iiexible tube 65 .to actuate the mercury switch and de-energize the magnetic clutch and the electro-magnet 58. Should the main pump II fail to deliver liquid through the outlet pipe 4I in which case there would be no liquid pressure within the outlet pipe 4I, the exible tube 65 actuates the mercury switch such that the magnetic clutch 28 and the electro-magnet 58 are energized to cause the auxiliary pump I2 to expel the air from the main pump II. The auxiliary pump I2 continues-to operate until the air is expelled from the main pump II at which time the main pump again'be gins to deliver liquid through the outlet pipe 4I 'and operate the mercury switch 66 to de-energize the magnetic clutch and close the slide valve 59.

In both of the embodiments shown in our invention, we provide for arresting the operation of the auxiliary pump so long as the mainpump is delivering liquid and to start the operation of the auxiliary pump I2 when the main pump becomes air bound or fails to deliver liquid out of the discharge outlet I8.

Although we have described our invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example and that numerous changesin the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination, a main pump, a priming pump, and light-sensitive means responsive to the liquid in the outlet of the main pump for controlling the priming pump, said light sensitive means causing operation of the priming pump to expel air from the main pump so long as substantially no liquid is being pumped by themain pump and arresting the operation of the priming pump when liquid is being pumped by the main Dump- 2. In combination, a main pump, a priming pump, movable means responsive to the movement of the liquid' in the outlet of the main pump,

and light-sensitive means responsive to the movement of the movable means for controlling the -in the outlet of the rst pump for controlling the second pump, said light sensitive means causing operation of the second pump so long as substantially no liquid is being pumped by the first pump and arresting the operation of the second pump when liquid is being pumped by the first pump.

FRANK J. SIGMUND. WILLIAM S. HJLAVIN. 

